Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker

TANNED, handsome, and wearing a houndstooth jacket, the man known to his friends as ''Freddie the Bear'' has, throughout the spring carnival, embodied the glamour and swagger that many see as synonymous with Australia's biggest horse racing event.

Born Fedele D'Amico, the 45-year-old has a genuine passion for the sport. He once listed his profession on Facebook as ''horse owner'', he is close to several trainers and jockeys, and, during much of this year's carnival - including when The Saturday Age photographed him on Oaks Day - he was mixing with the equally well-attired at Flemington's members-only Champagne Bar.

One of his horses, Chestnut Valley, came second at Ballarat 10 days ago. In 2009, he and his partners bought another horse, Dark Valley, for a reported $210,000.

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But D'Amico is the embodiment of the darker side of racing - of the failure of authorities to ensure that those who may pose a serious risk to the integrity of the sport are not allowed near the track, let alone seen dealing with jockeys, trainers and other industry figures.

Two years ago, after a lengthy police probe, D'Amico was charged with drug trafficking - charges he rejects - by the Purana organised crime taskforce. While D'Amico must be afforded the presumption of innocence, it is the nature of his defence that most concerns those involved with racing.

Police have alleged in previous court hearings that tapped phone conversations involving either D'Amico or his co-accused, greyhound trainer Vince Mileto, contain discussions about drug trafficking. D'Amico has strongly denied this and has told supporters the police have no case, pointing to the recent withdrawal of some of his drug trafficking charges.

But D'Amico's defence also involves a claim that what the police say are references to drug trafficking are, in fact, discussions about the doping of horses and greyhounds with performance-enhancing drugs. Doping is one of the sport's most serious challenges and racing watchdog Sal Perna has revealed to The Saturday Age that he is currently finishing an audit examining whether racing's anti-doping measures are adequate.

Last month, police told Racing Victoria, which has the power to ban owners from racing horses, of the doping claims linked to D'Amico.

Police have the power to ban those who may be a risk to gaming or racing from the track and casino. In light of his drug trafficking charges and close association with trainers, bookies and jockeys, D'Amico is a prime candidate for such a ban.

And racing and law enforcement insiders say the recent claims of animal doping should mean D'Amico is urgently barred from the track.

So why has there been no move to ban him? And why is he able to own horses licensed by Racing Victoria, and visit members-only areas of Flemington racecourse?

D'Amico's reach into the sport is impressive. He favoured emerging trainer Luke Oliver to prepare his horses - Oliver trained D'Amico's thoroughbred Elmore (which has earned $310,000 in winnings) - although racing records show that his horses have also come under the care of more seasoned trainers. One of D'Amico's Facebook friends is jockey Jason Maskiell.

A self-styled entrepreneur of Calabrian descent, D'Amico has previously worked as a cigarette wholesaler and night club investor. Many of his relatives work in Victoria's fruit and vegetable industry and he maintains strong ties to certain Calabrian figures, including those who once controlled Footscray's wholesale markets. His brother-in-law and regular race day companion is Frank Furio, Mick Gatto's nephew.

Victoria Police declined to comment on the failure of authorities to bar D'Amico from the track. (Police rarely comment on individual cases.)

But senior law enforcement sources insist police are ramping up a campaign to bar undesirables from the track and to attack corruption in the sport.

Sources said evidence of this is last month's decision by Chief Commissioner Ken Lay to ban jockey Danny Nikolic and his brother, former trainer John Nikolic, from Crown Casino. The Nikolic brothers, along with jockey Mark Zahra, are under police investigation for alleged race fixing in 2011.

There are also growing calls for new laws to help police and stewards deal with corruption in sport.

''We do need legislative change to do things in a more timely manner to protect the integrity of racing,'' a source said, echoing calls made this week by Racing Victoria CEO, Rob Hines.

Among the changes sources say police are seeking is the ability to ban a person not only from the state's main racetracks, but all venues, including stables and training facilities. Laws still prevent police passing important information about racing corruption to stewards.

If they could, they would hand over files showing that jockey Jimmy Cassidy, who won Thursday's $1 million Crown Oaks on Dear Demi, was paid up to $100,000 in kickbacks by gangland boss Tony Mokbel between the late 1990s and mid-2000s in return for giving Mokbel inside information.

Cassidy should have received a hefty suspension for this misconduct, but he has never been punished.

The challenge for the state government is to introduce new and effective laws as soon as possible.

Racing officials have blamed its failure to do so as one of the reasons why this year's spring carnival has been tarnished by a raft of unresolved integrity concerns.